


Snow White and Rose Red

by KhadaVengean



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Can be seen both romantically and platonically, Character Study, Dorothea is awesome, Edelgard's past breaks my heart, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Hair, I love Edelgard's hair, Presents, i think, mentions of torture, not sure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:46:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26583112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KhadaVengean/pseuds/KhadaVengean
Summary: Edelgard despises the color of her hair.With a present from Dorothea, it gets better.(Study about Edelgard with her hair as main focus)
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault & Edelgard von Hresvelg, Dorothea Arnault/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	Snow White and Rose Red

**Author's Note:**

> Pog. I was able to write something. Yay. 
> 
> This may sound weird, but I just love Edelgard's hair. All in all, I think Edelgard is the most beautiful woman in all of Three Houses (sorry Ingrid). To explain something that is completely unnecessary for the story (but I need a place to ramble so I guess I'll take AO3 for it): I originally started the Black Eagles in my first playthrough of Three Houses. I have two brothers, so we quickly divided this through three and while the other two played Blue Lions and Golden Deer, I played Black Eagles because Edelgard fascinated me. The end of the story was that I chose to side against her because I wanted to play Crimson Flower with a male protagonist and played with a female. Played halfway through Silver Snow and I lost interest, switched over to Blue Lions and I'm a hardcore Dimileth Shipper at this point now. So, well, yeah. Yikes. 
> 
> But, to write something for Edel feels like some kind of nostalgic. It may sound weird, but I couldn't help myself. I wrote this (like always) in one rush and regret. absolutely. nothing. Yay. 
> 
> I love Edelgard and Dorothea. So this is my contribution for them. My apologies for the long note, but I hope you will enjoy it nontheless. Any kind of criticism (especially about Edelgard since I'm always a little bit afraid to write her) is appreciated and I hope you will take some pleasure from it as I did in writing this. 
> 
> English is not my first language. Please be aware of that. 
> 
> If anyone wants to see what kind of ideas I have otherwise, you can find me on . [tumblr](https://khadavengean.tumblr.com/)

White.

The color of purity and innocence. The color of a bride’s dressing during her wedding, promising her mind, body and soul to her groom for all eternity under the goddess’s watchful eye.

The color of snow and cold. The sign of a certain silence being awakened in a faraway dream, a memory not graspable for her hands. There was a picture of a landscape underneath a white blanket and snowflakes gracing her cheeks in a tender motion. But it was sleeping in the farthest corner of her memory, sometimes recurring in her dreams, but staying there.

The color of the Church of Seiros. The favorite shade of archbishop Rhea, leader of the church and the main reason why Edelgard von Hresvelg was fighting for the things she believed in. The person, the symbol of all the things going wrong in this society, on this continent, in this entire world, wore the same color.

White was the color of her hair. White was one of the rarest colors someone could wear. Something expensive and only reserved for nobility, maybe even royalty. The queen among all colors.

The same color the princess of the Adrestian Empire detested among everything else. There were only a small number of things which awakened a taste of bile in her mouth, but the sight of her own hair, long and falling beautifully down her arms and torso, was one of them.

White was also the color the easiest to stain. No matter the mess or mistake, it was immediately visible on the color. A drop of tea? Visible.

A stain of sauce? Obvious.

A spot of sweat in her armpits? Who wouldn’t notice.

But those were only the small things. On the other hand-

_red, red blood, red like a deep, deep rose in full bloom, sprinkled on her clothes and her new hair color-_

_green snot on her arms, running down her face, mixed with tears and crying and a sign of weakness-_

Edelgard pulled up her shoulders. Let them fall again.

She looked like a ghost. Along with her pale skin, her bright eyes and her finely cut jaw, her hair color stressed this whole fact. Edelgard von Hresvelg was looking like a ghost, fresh out of her tomb to haunt those that tortured and tormented her.

The princess tilted her head while looking into the mirror, sitting on a stool in front of her vanity. Stars littered outside of her window, the moon hiding behind a cloud and the darkness of the sky was a familiar sight.

Sometimes, in her darkest moments, it was the only thing she heard from the outside. When the others were quiet, sleeping after all the pain or being shut down by them after having a panic attack, ( _or already dead),_ she had looked outside at the bright moon and stars, trying to find a sight that could ease her frightened and, back then, still innocent heart. 

The candle was flickering on the table.  The shadows were playing once more on her wall. 

Edelgard sighed deeply, brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and risked a look outside of the room. The moonlight was not strong enough to shine through the cloud’s power.

Edelgard was the opposite. She survived. She was the only one alive and the color of her hair was the daily proof for that. So many siblings, rotting in their graves after their horrible deaths. She looked at them, saw everything, risked a peek into their eyes and was frozen in place when they responded with a look of their own. Staring into hollow space, they remained sitting or lying, cut off from every living connection that was once theirs.

The color of purity and innocence. The color of snow and the cold. The color of void and survival.

Her survival.

The princess lay a hand on her chest, right above her breasts. Quietly, she mumbled a prayer to her siblings, wishing them the best they could possibly have-

Until, all of a sudden, a knock echoed through her room.

The moment was broken, glass was shattering in a far away corner and the high pierce of a scream tore her ears apart.

She shot up, her hand clutching her night gown tightly in her fist. Who was it? Who is it?

“Edel~,” a voice called from behind her door and something came back once more.

_Princess Edelgard, you must come with us-_

_It won’t hurt, we promise, there is no need to cry._

_Why are you afraid, your highness? There is no need for that._

_And even if you fail, you will join your siblings soon enough-_

“ _Oh E-del-gard~”_

She shot up from her chair, a crash echoing through the walls.

“Who is it?!”

Her heart stopped beating. Pounding furiously against her ribs. And with every beat, with every single tack, it shouted the same thing as it did years ago.

_You’re alive, fight back, fight back, you’re alive, do it. You can, you will, you must. Don’t be afraid. You’re strong, you’re a fighter, pay them back, make them suffer, let them live through the same pain as you did._

“It-it’s me, Edel. Dorothea.” A shadow was raising its arms on her wall and Edelgard slowly sank down on the balls of her feet. “ What’s wrong?”

“I-” Dorothea, not one of them. Her classmate, a former songstress, blessed with such a beautiful voice that  men knelt at her feet. A voice so beautiful with a girl so hollow hiding behind it. Hatred against the nobles and yet, her wish to marry one was her reason to come to the Officer’s academy. 

But still. Her heart kept on pounding. Beating against her rib cage. “What is it?”

“I’ve wanted to ask you something…,” she said and trailed of in a matter of silence. No other words were spoken. “This is a little bit embarrassing to say it through the door. Maybe I come again tomorrow? Or can I come in?”

No, for goddess sake not, please don’t-

She wished to whisper  _ leave me alone. Leave me for the goddess sake alone. I don’t need anyone to comfort me, I’ve been strong enough for so long.  _

Instead, she spoke loud enough to let her voice reach the girl on the other side and yet not loud enough to let it sing over her erratic heart. “Come in.”

She pressed her hands against her cheeks in a quiet moment, her fingers twitching whenever  her bare fingers touched something. She wore gloves for the majority of the day. The feeling of something warm,  _ living,  _ lingering as a touch on her fingertips let her go crazy. There was so much to do and so much to lose. 

But this was not the right moment. She was the future emperor after all. A symbol of might and power. She had to adapt, to play her part, to prepare herself.

The door opened. Her heart begging her to hide in a corner, to let it rest for once. Her mind commanding her to stay true to her position as future emperor, to let duty reign.

“Edel?” The door creaked and she could see two naked feet entering her room, attached to two legs that would probably drive all their classmates crazy. Or the knights. Or servants. Or anyone who could possibly fall for Dorothea’s charm. A head of brown locks peeked in, two green eyes looking around in curiosity. “Is everything alright?”

“Of course, my apologies.” She shook it off. “ What is it that I can help you with?”

She listened to her classmate, helped her. From the corner of her eyes, she saw to figures as shadows on the wall of her bedroom.

Two shadows. Not multiple ones playing a game. Just her and Dorothea.

No one else.

* * *

“Oh, Edel~”

The doorbell rang for the end of the lesson and her voice echoed through the entire classroom. The Black Eagles were turning their heads at her direction, looking between the songstress and princess and shrugging.

Hubert, her ever so loyal servant, let out a short noise, always so like him. “Should I prepare myself to rescue you from her fangs, your highness?”

“ I am sure I know how to defend myself, Hubert, should the situation occur. But thank you for your concern.” She rose from her position, listened to hum of her retainer. 

“Of course, your highness, my apologies.” And his chuckle was sinister, but one of the few sounds that kept her sane in these times. “Perhaps it is simply my imagination, but I do not wish for you to waste your time over such frivolous matter with Dorothea-”

“I can hear everything you say, Hubie.” Instead of being insulted or pouting, Dorothea shot him one of the most coquettish looks Edelgard has ever seen her doing. And from the fact that she had often discovered her accompanying all sorts of men, that was a first. “No need to worry about your precious princess.” With a gracious step, she stood between them, obscuring her from his sight. “I will take great care of her. After I snatched it away. You got that one right.”

In a whirl of drama, Dorothea stood right in front of her.  Curtsied shortly, obviously ignored Hubert’s skeptical eyebrow and shot her one of her most innocent smiles. “Edel, there is something I wish to give you.” She pressed her hand against each other. “Can you come with me for a second?” Another twinkle in her eyes.

Edelgard blinked, commanding her mind to figure out what her classmate could hide behind her impish smile. But there was nothing popping off in her mind and so she simply nodded. “Of course. If it’s something urgent.”

“Oh, it is really, really urgent. Trust me.” Her tender hand suddenly reached for her gloved wrist and she looked over her shoulder, sending a kiss with her hand to her retainer. “I won’t drag her away for too long, Hubie.” She winked at him and in one motion, pulled her out of their classroom with urgent steps.

Edelgard noticed something. She didn’t pull on her like she expected her to do so and her grip was gentle and caring. They reached the outside with her heart beating in a calm rhythm and the sun was piercing her eyes.

“Just sit down.” She dragged her to the closest stone bench on the other side of the yard and her shoulders were gently pressed  down, her body following her silent command. “From the very goodness of my heart-,” Dorothea said and snorts immediately after her words. Edelgard allowed the corners of her mouth to rise. “Listen, I’ve recently noticed something about you.”

“Oh?”

“Your hair, Edie.” She tendler took her mane into her hands. “You keep it so nice and soft, but you never do anything with it. That’s a true shame, if you’re asking me.”

“I simply have no desire to style it anyway.” As long as she could enjoy the feeling of her hair trailing behind her, not being bound together like her pragmatic side sometimes ordered her to do so, it was enough for her.

“Oh, we don’t need to style it. I thought a simple accessory could pretty up your pretty head.” The girl behind her let her hair fall. “ So, give me one minute.” And all of a sudden, she could feel the tender touch of a comb touching her hair. 

“Did you really bring all those things into class?”

A hush and a giggle let her remain silent. She followed her plea, closed her eyes and let the sensation flood her senses. She could hear the voices from the other students, obviously trying to catch a look of the princess of the almighty Adrestian Empire and the only commoner of the Black Eagles class sitting together. She felt the comb on her scalp, Dorothea’s fingers on two strands of her hair and slowly pulling them to the back of her head.

A sensation of peace and quiet rushed through her veins and Edelgard von Hresvelg let out a deep and calm breath.

Inhale and accept. Exhale and conquer.

“Okay, I’m done.”

The princess opened her eyes. A ray of the pierced the shadows and a small mirror was held right in front of her face, showing her reflection. Dorothea’s smile was right next to her ear. “Look at it and tell me your honest opinion!”

At the first moment, she didn’t notice anything. Just that the two strands gracing her cheek were pulled behind her head. She tilted her head and lifted the mirror a little bit higher. And her lavender eyes widened.

A red rose was planted into her hair. A stark contrast to the paleness of her skin, the color of her mane and her eyes. Red, deep deep red.

Snow white and rose red.

“I’ve discovered it recently and just knew that you had to wear it. It’d disappear in my hair, but with yours, you simply look astounding. Maybe I should really write that opera.”

A sign of beauty in an endless void. Hot in an eternal cold. A sign of spring in winter.

Grace. Femininity. Strength. Endurance. Power. A rose had thorns.

Edelgard had too.

She smiled at her classmate through the mirror. “Thank you, Dorothea. It’s been a long time since I’ve received such a thoughtful gift. You have my utmost gratitude.”

“Aw, no need to thank me.” Dorothea leaned down, pressed her cheek against Edelgard’s and two pair of eyes looked at their reflection. “We are both roses. And we will show that to the world.”

A rose can seduce with its beauty and scent. Don’t get to close or too greedy. The rose will decide who may approach her.

Any other who resists her command will prick his fingers at the thorns. To hurt, to fight, to protect.

And the future emperor smiled.

“We will.”


End file.
